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Fires in the Mirror

Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities

On Aug. 19, 1991 in Crown Heights (Brooklyn, N.Y.) a Hasidic man accidentally ran over a 7-year old Black boy (Gavin Cato). Three hours later a young Jewish scholar (Yankel Rosenbaum) was murdered by Black youths. Four days of fire-bombing and riots ensued. Utilizing verbatim excerpts from interviews she conducted, Anna Deavere Smith acts out the roles of 18 people involved in the racial conflict, trying to present the differing viewpoints. Includes actual film footage of the riots and violence.August 1991. Crown Heights, Brooklyn. A Hasidic man's car jumps a curb and kills a seven-year-old black child. Hours later, a Hasidic student is stabbed to death in what appears to be a retaliatory act. A city riots, exploding in racial tension.